Flow controlling device for bottles



Nov. 2, 1943.

R. L. LUCE FLOW CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES Filed June 14, 1941 Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOW CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR BQTTLES Roy L. Luce, Chicago, Ill. r

Application June 14, 1941, Serial No. 398,001

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices of the class which are designed to permit pouring from but prevent refilling of liquid containers. Such devices are attached to the outlets or necks of the containers after the containers have been filled, and thus provide what are popularly referred to as non-refillable bottles.

These devices have their inception in the desire by bottlers of relatively valuable liquids, such as fine liquors, to protect themselves against refilling of the bottles with spurious contents and the palming off of such contents as the genuine liquid because contained in a genuine bottle.

A practical non-refillable bottle device must meet two major requirements: (a) it must-afford reasonably effective protection against refilling of the bottle, and (b) it must be made and assembled with the bottle at a small enough cost, proportionate to the value of the contents, to warrant its use. The major problem has always been to reconcile these factors and strike a satisfactory balance.

Where prior devices have purported to be effective to prevent refilling of the bottle, the cost of manufacture, and often assembly with the bottle, has usually been prohibitive. On the other hand, where the devices could be manufactured and assembled with the bottle at a permissible cost, there hasusually been a sacrifice in efficiency.

In this connection, much attention has been devoted in prior devices to the design of oneway how valves of numerous styles and types of action. The diiiiculties in designing such valves arise from a combination of factors such as flow sensitivity, proper distribution and balance of valve weight, manufacturing tolerances, selection of materials, accessibilityfor tampering, andthe like.

One way in which the devices relying upon valve action, and particularly the action of a ball valve, have been defeated, is to take advantage of the adhesive qualities of residue material which may be left after evaporation of the liquid to hold the valve open and thus permit a free return flow of liquid past the valve. In whiskey, for example, caramel forms one of the ingredients and leaves an adhesive residue upon evaporation of the small amount of whiskey which invariably remains in any such device after pouring.

My invention has, as the principal aim, to avoid the need for any relatively movable parts in a non-refillable bottle device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which utilizes the surface'tension of a liquid and air pressure to obstruct refilling of the bottle.

Another object of the invention is to construct a device of'this general character having a minimum of simple parts which may be cast or molded at low cost from a metal or plastic material which is unaffected by'the liquid to be dispensed from the bottle.

Another object of the invention is to combine in a device of this type the features of effective prevention of refilling of the bottle, and low cost of manufacture and assembly with the bottle.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description a-ndfrom the accompanying drawing, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the neck of a bottle'which has'one of my flow-controlling devices mounted therein;

2'is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the bottle neck and the device showing the same in pouring position;

Fig. 3 is an'enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the bottle neck and the device in upright position, showing means such as a hose attached to the neck, as might be used in an attempt to refill the bottle;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the inner structure of the device with the outer casing bro ken away and in section; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the device.

Having particular reference to the drawing, a device embodying the features of my invention is preferably in the form of a self-contained unit It] constructed to be secured permanently within the neck I] of a bottle l2. The unit Ill comprises an elongated tubular casing I3 which houses a shorter cylindrical body or core M of substantially smaller diameter. The casing I3 may be of any preferred external shape conformable with the shape of the bottle neck I l, but is preferably internally cylindrical.

outer diameter of the casing i3 is slightly less than the inner diameter of the neck H to permit the interposition of a tubular sealing gasket l-5 which may be formed of a compressible material such as cork, The original thickness of the gasket i5 is greater than the space into which itmust fit between the casing 53 and the bottle neck wall so that in assembly it is tightly compressed. This acts to hold the unit I tightly in place.

In order to prevent removal of the unit II] from the bottle neck without at least destruction of the sealing gasket I5, the latter is cemented to both the casing I3 and the bottle neck I I. If preferred, the sealing gasket I may be omitted and the casing I3 cemented directly to the bottle neck II, or any other suitable means may be used for connecting the unit permanently within the bottle neck.

The core I4 is rigidly connected in concentric relation within the casing |3 by means or a set of radial vanes I1. These vanes, hereinthree in number, identified as A, B and C (Figs. 2 and 4), are of spiral form and extend about the core I4 in equally spaced parallel relation to form liquid flow passages I8 of substantial cross-sectional flow area. The outer ends of the vanes I'I terminate symmetrically" coextensive with the outer ends of the casing I3 and the core I4 (Fig. 5), while'at their inner ends the vanes terminate short of the inner end of the core l4.

The length and pitch of the vanes I1 is preferably such as to carry each" of them, and thus each of the passages I8, in internested relation not substantially less than a convolution around the .core I4. As a result, the inner and outer ends of each of the passages I8 are in respective substantially longitudinal alinement and a section of each of the three vanes intervenes as a bail'le between the ends of each of the passages. This relationship is readily apparent in Fig. 4, which reveals to View the opposite ends of the passages I8 between the vanes Aand Band the vanes B and C, while the ends of remaining passage I8 between the vanes A and C are located on the opposite side of the core I4. The spiral arrangement and triple bafile structure of the vanes I! prevent passage of a tampering instrumentality through the device. Anothe important function of the spiral vane and passage structure is to assist in preventing refilling of the bottle,a's will be presently described.

Means fixedly located inwardly of the inner ends of the vanes'II provide a novel liquid trap which permits pouring of liquid from the bottle I2. through the unit I0, but prevents refilling of the bottle. without any moving parts and comprises an upturned substantially frusto-conical flange I! at the lower end of the casing I3 which open upwardly at its reduced end into an inverted cupshaped baffle member formed, in this instance, integrally with the lower end of the core I4 spaced from the lower ends of the vanes IT. The baflle member 20 is of larger diameter than the upwardly extending end or rim of the flange I9 and has the lower edg of its downturned peripheral flange 2| located in radially spaced, preferably concentric, relation to the edge of the flange I9.

Through this arrangement, the flange I9 forms an annular channel 22 facing upwardly in the direction of discharge or pouring flow of liquid from the bottle and is thus adapted to catch returning liquid which fills up to and engages th edge of the baille flange 2|. The trapped liquid closes the gap between the edge portions of the flanges I9 and 2| and forms a meniscus 23 across the gap.

The air'trapped within the bottle I 2 by this closing of the only opening to the outside acts upon the meniscus 23 to prevent return flow of the liquid past the flange I9 and into the bottle. It has The trap is constructed to operate been found that the surface tension of the meniscus 23 will prevent return flow of liquid even though there may be some longitudinal spacing between the edges of the flanges I9 and 2 I, rather than the concentric relation as shown in the preferred illustrated form. Where there is such longitudinal spacing, the meniscus tilts up to meet the higher edge of the flange 2 I, instead of being substantially horizontal as seen in Fig. 3.

The flow-preventing action of the trap persists even though the interior of the unit III may be filled up with liquid in an attempt at refilling substantially as shown in Fig. 3, for example, where a head of liquid 24 is maintained over the upper end of the vertically standing device by means such as a tube 25 fitted over the end of the neck I I. This prevention of refilling, while the unit is filled with liquid, persists as well in anyposition to which the bottle may be tilted from avertical axis.

7 Neither can the bottle be refilled by supporting it on its side with the level of the liquid 24 reaching only part way up the end of the horizontally lying device. This is so because, in order to reach the inner end of the device, the liquid must fiow up hill through one or more of the passages I8 around the core |4.- If, to overcome this, the level of the liquid 24 is raised while the neck of the bottle is on its side, return flow of the liquid is blocked bythe air pockets which form in the top portions of the spiral passages I8. To allow the air to escape from the passages I8, the bottle must be tilted towards upright position, whereupon the liquid'trap formed by the flanges I9 and 2| immediately functions to prevent return fiow of liquid' into the bottle. The spiral vanes I1 and the passages I8 provide a plurality of traps, in series with the main trap at the inner end of the device; which act'when the axis of the device is horizontal.

Any attempt to beat the liquid trap by inserting a; tube through one .ofthe passages I8 is frustrated by the baille member20 andthe radially ofiset protective relationship ofthe flange 2| tothe flange I9, whereby access is blocked into the opening defined by the flang I9.

In pouring liquid from the bottle (Fig. 2), the bottleis tilted until the inner end of at least one of the passages I8 is at a higher level than the remainder of the passage. Thereupon liquid from the bottle contents will flow past the rims of the flanges I9 and 2| and through the flow space between the peripheral face of the flange 2| and the adjacent wall of the casing I3into the discharge passage. Because of the longitudinal alinement of the inner and outer ends of the passages I8, the passage having its inner end at the low point to receive the liquid, of course, also has its outer or. discharge end at the low point for pouring. As liquid discharges from the bottle, replacement air enters the bottle, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, through the liquid-free passage "I 8 which hasits outer end uppermost and its innerend, therefore, above the level D of the discharging liquid.

For economy of manufacture, the casing I3 and the core I4 may be cast or molded from metal, or thermoplastic non-metallic material, such as glass or a synthetic resin, as separate pieces which may thereafter be soldered, brazed, cemented, or otherwise secured together, depending upon the material from which the parts are made. In this two-piece construction, the vanes I! are preferably formed integrally with th core I4. If preferred, the casing I3 may be formed from metal tubing with the flange l9 drawn or spun into shape, and the core 14 and the vanes I! may be molded or cast from any suitable metal or plastic material.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention provides a non-refillable bottle device which functions satisfactorily without movable valve members. It is of a simple and inexpensive construction, so that it may be produced at a low cost and may be easily and simply permanently assembled with the neck of a filled conventional type of bottle.

While my invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, and while I have illustrated and described a certain preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit my invention to the specific form disclosed, but contemplate that many modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a non-refillable bottle closure device, means arranged to be permanently secured in flow-controlling relation to the neck of a bottle, an annular upstanding flange defining a discharge port and an annular channel facing in the direction of discharge flow surrounding said port, a substantially horizontal fixed baille member spaced above said flange, an annular flange extending downwardly from said baffle member and having its edge at substantially the same level as and being in spaced concentric relation to the edge of said upstanding flange to provide a relatively narrow annular gap for the passage of liquid contents of the bottle when pouring, said channel being adapted to catch returning liquid and hold such liquid in sealing relation across said gap to form a meniscus upon which air trapped within the bottle acts to prevent the returning liquid from entering through said annular gap to the interior of the bottle, and means preventing tampering access to said gap, said last mentioned means including a cylindrical core extending concentrically from said bafile member to the discharge end of the device and a plurality of one revolution spiral passageways surrounding said core and alternating as liquid discharge and replacement air vents in accordance with the direction in which the bottle is tipped in pouring, the passageways forming liquid traps preventing return flow of liquid into the bottle through the device when the bottle is lying on its side or is tilted over between such lying position and the upright or nearly upright position where liquid trapped in said channel closes said gap to form the meniscus as aforesaid.

2. In combination in a non-refillable bottle closure device, means for securing ,the device in permanent flow-controlling relation to the neck of a bottle, means at the inner end of the device for permitting discharge flow only of liquid from the container while preventing return flow, and means within the outer part of the device assisting in preventing return flow under certain conditions and providing a baffle structure to prevent access into the bottle comprising a fixed central core and a plurality of spaced parallel spiral vanes surrounding said core and defining at least three equidistant spaced spiral passages about the core, the pitch and length of said vanes being such that the passages describe approximately one convolution about the core and have their inner and outer ends approximately in alignment so that in pouring from the bottle the same passage will have both its inner and outer ends at the low side of the bottle and at least one of the passages in any pouring position of the bottle will have both of its inner and outer ends at the high side of the bottle to provide an air vent.

3. A non-refillable bottle closure device as defined in claim 2 in which the arrangement of the baffle vanes is such that each vane is fully interposed between the inner and outer ends of each of the passages as a multiple protection against driving a tampering instrumentality straight through from the outer to the inner end of any one of the passages.

4. A unitary capsular non-refillable bottle closure device comprising a cylindrical tubular shell, a generally frusto-conical annular flange integral with the lower end of said shell and projecting a short distance upwardly within the shell, said.

flange defining a reduced diameter discharge flow port for the lower end of the shell and providing an annular channel within the shell opening in the direction of discharge flow, and a cylindrical core concentric with said port and having an inverted cup-shaped baffle rigid with its lower end, said baffle having a downwardly extending annular peripheral flange of a di-- ameter intermediate the internal diameter of said shell and the port edge diameter of said shell flange, said baffle flange having its lower edge concentrically related to the port edge of the shell flange at approximately the same horizontal plane so as to dip into liquid trapped in said channel to enable the formation of a return-flow preventing meniscus trap between the flange edges, the core having a plurality of equally spaced radially extending one-convolution spiral vanes bridging the space between the core and the internal wall of the shell and supporting the core fixedly within the shell, said vanes providing alternative discharge flow passageways and replacement air vents as well as auxiliary return flow traps complementary to the flow trap provided by said channel and permitting pouring from the bottle in practically any direction of tilting of the bottle.

ROY L. LUCE. 

